YAML pipelines in Azure DevOps give you code-as-configuration for your entire CI/CD process. Unlike classic pipelines, YAML pipelines live in your Git repository — version-controlled, reviewable, and portable across projects.
Pipeline Structure Basics
An Azure Pipelines YAML file has a hierarchy: trigger → stages → jobs → steps. Here's a minimal pipeline that builds a Node.js application:
Adding a Deploy Stage
💡 Environments and Approvals
Azure DevOps Environments let you add manual approval gates between stages. Go to Pipelines → Environments → your environment → Approvals and checks to require a reviewer before production deploys.
Pipeline Variables and Key Vault Integration
- ●Store non-sensitive config in Variable Groups (Pipelines → Library)
- ●Link an Azure Key Vault to a Variable Group for automatic secret injection
- ●Reference variables as $(variableName) anywhere in your YAML
- ●Use `${{ if eq(variables.environment, "prod") }}` for conditional steps
⚠️ Security Best Practice
Never hard-code secrets, connection strings, or passwords in your YAML file. Even if your repo is private today, it may become public — and Git history is permanent.
Our Azure DevOps training covers YAML pipelines in full depth — from basic builds to multi-stage enterprise delivery pipelines with environment approvals, artifact management, and Key Vault integration.
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